Senior_AP

No arguments or my car is better than yours. Just after input of owners and people that considered one but didn't buy one.

I'm planning a test drive but just testing the water with owners/people that thought better of it.

Thanks in advance!!

Andy M3

I got as far as the test drive, the enthusiastic salesman took the wheel and drove up the road, onto a round about and onto a duel carrigeway. My god these cars are very very fast, sound amazing and grip very well for a 200bhp FWD. He pulled off the slip road and i drove it from there through built up area's and then onto a duel carrigeway.

To his suprise though i jumped in the car and drove it like i had owned it 2 years and was over the V-Tec thing. Straight into 2nd then 3rd and into 4th @ 30mph. No judder or anyhing, but when the road started to climb, i squeezed the throttle - no response, i shifted into 3rd and then engine picked up a little, then it was down a bit of a hill, still at 30 mph i slipped into 4th, then a hill again, back into 3rd and onto a mini round about, round there i went, 15mph/20 mph and squeezed the throttle and nothing down to second, the car reacted quickly, then into 4th, down to some speed humps and into 3rd, over the first, then no reponse, down into second, then 3rd then a hump, into 2nd then 3rd - there were 7 humps in total, a further 2 mini round abouts then a big one onto a duel carrigeway that goes up, then down to where i origionaly jumped in the car. I changed gear at around 4000 rpm 3/4 throttle and got to 6th @ 70 mph, as the hill climbed i passed a wagon, depressing the throttle fully - nothing. Down to 5th, nothing 4th sort of picked up, 3rd felt like a train hitting you at mach 3 round to 7500 rpm, then 4th, then 5th blah blah blah.

i didn't buy this car because of the lack of flexability in the engine. It wasn't even a little bit nippy bottom end - the other issue was the build quality isn't great and felt very plasticky. The parcel shelf opened a little bit which meant you had to hold it up, but that is when you realise that the C pillars are at such an angle the rear shelf can only move a fraction, so not good if the Mrs wants to use it. Then there were the seats, very suportive and comfortable, but if you wanted to get kids/mates in the back it was nearly impossible without standing on the back of the seat base, again they had this annoying thing of not sitting back in the same position, more up right.

The car is a great chasis, fast engine, decent brakes and gearbox, but that is it. they started with that basis and built from there -

DavidChief

Was on my list a couple of years back. Put off by the naff steering and some reliability / build quality issues friends who own them have had.

tiggers

Senior_AP,

My advice - ignore stuff on here - VTEC's are an acquired taste. Go and drive it, remember to rev it and I mean really rev it. If you decide you can't stand driving a car that you feel like you have to really thrash to get anything out of walk away.

Some people love 'em. Some don't. That's all I'm saying.

tiggers.

P.S. I've got an Integra so it's not a direct comparison, but you get what I mean.

DavidChief

Oh, and I have no complaints about the engine. Fantastic drivetrain.

Senior_AP

I used to have a Prelude 2.2 VTEC. Jap import with many mods. 230bhp. It was crap low end to.

Its kinda good you can drive normally and economically yet fast and manic if you wish.

Thanks to all above, I'll test drive one and see what I think. Was well impressed with my old Prelude though - plasticky but really built.

Any other owners on here???

billythekid

I had a CTR for a year and a half as a company car. Did about 50k miles.

The only problem I ever had with it was a coolant pipe where a bolt had not been tightened up properly and it had eventualy split due to movement.

As the car was company owned I seriously ragged it.

I can safely say the engine is unbreakable.

I did a day at Elvington where they set up a 3 mile lap. Was an amazing track as you got to use the full runway and I could get upto 140mph (GPS) on the main straight. Did lap after lap after lap. When I pitted after my first session I parked on the grass and promptly set fire to it!

If you are looking for something thats quite raw, great handling and engine, then this is for you.

If you want something to do lots of miles, nice and quiet and smooth ride, dont get one!

I had mine on the RR and it was putting out 210bhp too. (Optimax only mod)

If you want a bit more power you can get TODA Cams, new exhaust and HONDATA ecu remap for about 240bhp.

My only bad memory of the car is the doors - they are toooooo long!

Good points:

Engine
Gearbox
Reliable
Seats
Brakes

Bad ponts

Looks
Doors
Std ICE
Air Con is extra
FWD

Senior_AP

Cars **** me off. Need to spend 50 grand to get anything half decent.

Disgruntled.

what would scooby do

Yup I got one, after owning a 300BHP Impreza Type R it took me a while to get used to the engine in the CTR. The VTEC is designed for economy with a kick of power at the top end. As long as you remember to mash it down two gears it's a hoot.

Over bumpy surfaces it's a joke with rock hard suspension my origin blue jumps out of its cradle and you can't change the volume on the stereo without taking your eye out.

All other surfaces it's really grippy, gearchange is slick, engine is un-burstable. It's fun and cheap to run, easily does over 140MPH.

Why I changed from scoob to CTR :-

1) 3 years warranty - no panics
2) Servicing once a year @ £165 - no shocking servicing
3) No need for tracker
4) No need for blackjax
5) No cooling down period
6) No need to wory about det after being sat in traffic
7) No need to worry about parking it anywhere
8) Not tempted to mod it.
9) Don't have to wave to other CTR owners

Is it as fun as a scoob - not quite, is it as fast, nope.. it's a rapid £17k car that's well built, reliable and ideal for what I need at the moment.. as mentioned, get a test drive and rag its **** off

billythekid

I hear that the 04 cars have lower VTEC change over point, somethinglike 5200rpm I think, where mine was 6000.

I think the rev limit might be a touch higher now too.

I prefer my 03 WRX over my 02 CTR, but I would have a CTR again, esp if it was free like my last one was!

what would scooby do

I have the latest 04 and it still burps at 6k, lighter flywheel and "uprated" suspension over the 2003. Limiter seeems to be at 8500 on mine

soup dragon

Had an 02 for 12 months before I got the FRS.
Great fun I thought, the only bad points I could find was those crappy Bridgestone tyres as standard, zero traction in the wet, also the steering is a little vague, but you get used to it.
Top motor and would consider another one.

gso

i wanted to buy a civic.....even likes how it looked.... till i sat in one and drove it.... yuchy interior.... and the engine is too much hard work all the time.... nothing till 6krpm then BAM....and the fun is over before you know it and u gotta change again...

one thing tho...fantastic handling!

MadMark

Had one for 9 months before my 03WRX.

Great car - build quality is stunning, but plastics iffy, but hey I only paid £15K Brand New with all the extras (from a Honda dealer too)!
Gearbox is a dream - I wish all were as good and the position stunning when you get used to it!
Brakes good, clutch light!
Traction in the wet is shocking - wheelspin everywhere - it needs an LSD!
Tail Happy Handling right on the limit.
Steering lacks feel but is very direct!
Engine just wants to rev and rev. Funny feeling not changing up until 8,500rpm!
Amazingly fast with a great engine - but I got bored of driving it like I hated it!

anc-sti

Had one for a year and a half and what MadMark says is bang on, totally agree.
The fact that you have to work can get a little anoying.

Lots of fun though, just remember to let it warm before you let the bitch screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeem. (vtec won't work until the engine is up to temp)

Oh and vtec engagement is the same for pre face lift as after, unless the car has a Hondata remap. The ctr has iVTEC which means the vtec point can change slightly depending on lots of things like intake temp, oil pressure, how the accelerator was depressed, etc, etc.

Checking oil is a must, low oil will stop the vtec working properly and they use oil because they rev so high. The only failures of the vtec system have been due to oil starvation, and if that happens you won't get a warranty replacement because it is your responsablity to check the oil.